The term "Media" no longer applies simply to a visual production that streams in through an electronic device:
DVD's, Streaming Internet, Cable, and Analog/Digital TV waves.
Prior to this class, Media only encompassed those visual arts. The history of technology and its development were never present in anyway shape or form when I addressed the topic. Now it has become the predominant concept that rushes to the front mind when I think about the subject. Media and mediation are a compound system that build upon on another hand in hand with technology. Each technological advancement provides a new realm in which to create something new and change the way in which an item is presented.
However, these changes/advancements in technology have always been met with some form of resistance from popular culture. For me, this is probably the strangest concept that we have come across. Why fight what is good for you? Then again, as most of the media scholars have pointed out with the good the bad has followed. The bad in these cases has greatly overwhelmed the good.
Richard,
ReplyDeleteI think you bring up some really neat ideas here! I too can't think about media now without thinking about materiality. Part of me wants to say, "there have always been multiple modalities for multiple media," but I agree with you that technological proliferation has been a real game-changer, so-to-speak.
I was glad to see you bring up resistance to media in terms of popular culture. Sometimes I think it is easy to look at theorists as lone voices calling out in the wilderness, or kooks (I wonder if I spelled that right). As you point out, however, there are significant portions of contemporary culture(s) that resist new media. I wonder if this is just atavism, or, as you say, people "fighting what is good for them." Perhaps since mediation seems to be so all-pervasive, this resistance is something else. Any thoughts?
Hi Richard,
ReplyDeleteThe history of media, something that goes hand and hand with the discovery of the breadth of media and mediation, is something that also really sticks with me.
About the resistance to media as the fighting of something that is good for you: is this really good for us, what are the risks, what is the purpose, what do we gain, what do we give up?
Also, your paper regarding the military sounds really interesting!
Amy